A Moment With: Valentino Garavani

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Italian journalists, we found out, are very protective of compatriot 80-year-old Mr Valentino Garavani.

We succeeded in getting introduced, but were promptly hustled away by a crowd of reporters, cameramen and photographers who evidently wanted the (officially retired) designer to continue on with the personal guided tour of his latest exhibition in Italian.

As we waited — and watched Mr. Garavani mesmerise the crowd, gesticulating with his hands every syllable in "in-cros-ta-to di perle" — a member of Maison Valentino atelier came to speak to us.

"Retired? I don't think so!" Carlos chuckled. "He is as busy as ever…the digital museum…Anne Hathaway's wedding dress. And he loves London you know. I am in New York all the time and he calls me and says, 'Why are you there? It's all about London now, Carlos!' and he loves Kate Middleton! It's Kate, Kate, Kate, it's like he's in love again."

And Carlos is probably right. Valentino was the surprise appearance at the British Fashion Awards last night, presenting Alexa Chung with her Style Icon title. Tonight he will host a cocktail party followed by an intimate dinner for key editors in celebration of his new exhibition at Somerset House.

It's an elaborate and exquisite retrospective of key couture looks over Valentino's fifty years in fashion. It features everything from intimate photos (including a Christmas card from the royal family, with a picture of Charles, William and Harry fashion-posing in the countryside), to invitations, letters and a video demonstrating how Valentino's inspired digital museum works – but most impressive is the tunnel of poised mannequins.

Situated on two rows — just like a catwalk — some seated, some standing, each model is dressed in an iconic couture piece and situated next to a named place-card of who has worn the dress in question — names like Julia Roberts, Diana Vreeland and Audrey Hepburn. And you can just reach out and touch them, they are displayed so close to you — and with all the intricate ruffles, beading, diamond bows and lace trains, it is really very tempting.

As the Italian journalists dispersed to watch the multimedia pieces, the man himself took us over to what is perhaps the centre-piece of the exhibition, Princess Marie-Chantal's exquisite wedding dress. The petite and perfectly groomed Mr Garavani hoisted himself up on to the display, perching next to the dress' four-meter train, and began…

Harper's Bazaar: Congratulations. We have never seen anything quite like this. Why did you choose London for such a big show?

Valentino Garavani: I came many years ago for Princess Margaret's charity and then for Princess Diana's, but I've never shown my work in a museum. When [my team] told me that Somerset House would love to work with me, I was thrilled. I love England, I love London; very, very much. I feel it's an unbelievable achievement to come here, and I love the results.

HB: It is an incredible body of work on display. What is it like to see it all assembled in one place and displayed in such an intimate setting?

VG: People sometimes only see the couture dress – but they don't realise what's behind it. All the tiny little things; all the seamstresses and the whole picture. This was an opportunity to let people realise not only couture, but the making of couture.

HB: Of all the names listed in that room, who has been your biggest privilege to dress?

VG: Well, Jackie Kennedy, Julia Roberts, Grace Kelly; they are just some that stand out. If I have to pick just one? Then my last one: my daughter, Anne Hathaway. She's a close fried of mine, I call her my daughter; we're so close. She asked me, "When I get married, I want one of your clothes." And I did it.

HB: And how did you meet?

VG: I did a cameo in the film The Devil Wears Prada. They wanted to film a catwalk and no one would do it, but I was in New York at the time and I knew Meryl Streep – she is the most amazing lady and actress in the world, and I also dressed her for the Academy Awards – so I said 'Why not!'. Since then she has come to Venice with me.

HB: Obviously over the fifty years of Valentino, there have been many changes in fashion. How is couture still relevant to today?

VG: Today the way to dress is different. In today's climate, automatically, people don't spend a lot of money like they did in the past. They used to spend millions and millions on haute couture and high fashion. But now, when there is an occasion, a big ball or a huge event, people still want a beautiful evening gown. The dress is key for a woman. Women are the emblem of elegance, so why not be well dressed? You only need the dress.